45 ESOP and Delegates from 23 different countries came together to discuss and decide the future of the ESOP at the annual Delegate Meeting at the ECOP 2016 in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

World Cancer day 2016:

Cancer patients can be assured of support by oncology pharmacists.

The European Society for Oncology Pharmacy (ESOP) was founded in 2000 and is acting as member of the European Cancer Organisation (ECCO).

Our members are involved in many different ways in prevention of cancer, therapy and follow-up care, administration of drugs, management of side effects and interactions, clinical research, and the provision of further training and continuing education for pharmacists joining the profession. All these activities are guided by the needs of the patient and embedded in optimum all-round pharmaceutical care and counseling for people with cancer, regardless of the organisational structure in which our members work.

We unreservedly reject unfair and unlawful practices serving purely commercial interests which disregard both the interests of the patient and the professional ethics of the pharmacist. Foundation of our knowledge is based on evidence based medicine together with our ethical commitment to the principle of patient wellbeing it makes strong input in improvement of treatment efficiency in oncology patient.

The political challenge here is to improve interprofessional relationships in the health service and draw regularly on the expertise of oncology pharmacists to ensure that patients receive the best possible advice and that the safety of drugs used in therapy meets the highest standards. Cancer outpatients in particular require comprehensive care on a regional basis along with counseling on the use of drugs and possible problems that may arise in conjunction with their medication.
The European funding program to improve adherence in oncology, that is supported by the ESOP, is an important milestone in the therapeutic support of patients by pharmacists.

We believe it is essential to improve patient compliance and adherence, drug and therapy security, and personal pharmaceutical care in order to enhance the quality of life for cancer patients. For the sake of the patient, it is crucial to involve multidisciplinary team to work together in the field of oncology and to do it in close contact with the patient.

Just at the world cancer day, it is particularly important to us, to call our members to step up efforts in order to meet our goal.

Cancer patients must have the right, wherever they live in this world, to get the best possible healthcare service.